Oedee PSITTACI.] 
PLATYCEECUS UNICOLOE. 
(ANTIPODES-ISLAND PARRAKEET.) 
[Fam. PLATYCERCID/E. 
Platycercus unicolor, Vigors, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831, p. 24. 
Platycercus viridis unicolor, Bourj. St.-Hilaire, Perr. t. 34 (fig. fide Leon), 1837. 
Cyanoramphus unicolor, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1854, p. 153 ; id. Naumannia, 1856. 
Platycercus unicolor, Gray, Gen. of B. ii. no. 19 (1845); id. List of Psitt. 1S5J, p. 14, id. Ibis, 
1862, p. 229. 
Platycercus unicolor, Finsch, Die Papag. 1868, p. 289. 
Platycercus unicolor, Buller, Trans. N.-Z. Instit. vol. vi. p. 121 (lS/o). 
Platycercus fairchildii, Hector (in litt. 1886). 
S ad. omninb prasinus, vertice capitisque lateribus lsetioribus : dorso et corpore subtus flavido lavatis : ala spuria 
et primariis exterioribus extus cyanescentibus : cauda sordide viridi, subtus fiavi canti- brui mca : rostio mgro, 
versus basin albido : pedibus brunnescentibus : iride flavicanti-rubra. 
? mari simillima, sed valde minor et pallidior : maxilla cinerascenti-albo, versus apicem mgncante, mandibula 
omninb cinerascenti-alba. 
Adult male. General plumage grass-green, brighter on the crown, sides of the head, face, and ear-coverts ; back, 
rump, and all the under surface strongly tinged with yellow ; primaries bright green on their outer vanes ; 
the margins of the outermost primaries, as well as their coverts, and the whole of the bastard quills, indigo- 
blue ; tail-feathers dull green, olivaceous or yellowish brown on their under surface. Bill black, greyish 
white towards the base of lower mandible ; legs and feet dull brown. Total length 13 - 25 inches; wing, from 
flexure, 6; tail 6'25; culmen P25; tarsus '9; longer fore toe and claw 1'4; longer hind toe and claw P25. 
Female. Of smaller size and paler plumage than the male. Bill greyish white, the upper mandible biownish 
black in its apical portion, and with a clouded bluish spot in front of each nostril. Wing 5/5 inches; 
culmen 1 ; tarsus '8. 
(Jbs. My description of the male is taken from the type specimen in the British Museum ; that of the female 
from the specimen referred to below. 
Note. One of the specimens collected by Captain Fairchild (as stated below) was sent to the Canterbury 
Museum ; and of this Prof. Hutton has sent me the following note : — ' “ It answers very well to your 
description of the bird in Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. vi. p. 122, except that in the bill it is the basal half of the 
upper mandible that is greyish white, and not the lower. The measurements are as follows, but taken from 
the skin after it had been mounted Extreme length 14'25 inches; wing, from flexure, G’2o ; tail 6; 
culmen 1 ; tarsus '9; longer fore toe and claw 1-18; longer hind toe and claw '95. The foot seems smaller 
than in the British-Museum specimen; but I measured with a pair of compasses from point of claw, while 
you may have measured round the curve. _ 
Sir James Hector sends me the following account of two specimens received at the Colonial Museum ■ 
“ General plumage yellowish green, fighter on the underparts ; forehead and cheeks with minute feathers of 
intense verditer- green ; first three quills and coverts dull blue on outer web, rest dusky black; tail-feathers 
green above, dusky below; under surface ash-colour and very downy; upper mandible pale blue, with black 
margin and top ; lower black ; mandible not grooved. Legs and feet black ; irides yellowish red/’ 
